THE ANT. 



The large black ant, that makes its nesta in trees and may he 

 seen aronnd the outside of onr houses, oan often be easily collected 

 in large nnmbers. The winged females (Fig. 1), appearing with 

 the winged males (Fig. 2) in summer, are especially large, and the 

 workers and soldiers make very good specimens. 



Fig. 1. 



Kg better introdnotion to thin leaaoa oaa be desired than to find 

 an ant's nest in some rotten stamp where the decaying bark and 

 wood on the ontnide may be easily broken off, revealing the 

 chambers within. What hnrrying and scurrying as the ants rush 

 back and forth carrying coooons and helpless little grubs to safe 

 retreats in the center of the nest I Utterly regardless of self and 

 apparently incapable of fatigue, they will work for hours, if neces- 

 sary, to place every one of their helpless charges under shelter. 

 How they will tug and pull to rescue a cocoon that has been pin- 

 ioned by a falling timber in the shape of a chip 1 How carefully 



126 



